Benefits & Challenges of Breeding Dogs
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw a large amount of people lose their jobs or start working from home due to the quarantine. Because so many people were at home, many of dogs were adopted at that time, and demand for the companionship of a pet was high. To meet demand, so many breeders entered the industry in order to make ends meet. Raising dogs in a breeding program can have it’s pros and cons like any other industry, but it can be difficult to see that from the outside looking in.
Financial Opportunity & Risk
From the outside looking in, it seems like breeding dogs can be a very profitable venture. How hard could it be? Well, that depends on what kind of market you’re in, and how visible your platform is. In this age of social media, it’s becoming increasingly easier to get your dogs seen, especially if you know what you’re doing or have a degree in Marketing.
For those breeders who didn’t evolve with the times by utilizing social media, it’s becoming increasingly harder to have a visible platform to sell their puppies. Social Media’s free nature is a PRO on one side of the spectrum, can also be a big CON for others who are getting overshadowed by the amount of social media presence of other breeders.
While breeding can be profitable, it also involves monetary investments in quality breeding stock, veterinary care, supplies, and marketing. There is a risk of not recouping these costs or encountering unexpected expenses and losing money on a litter. It happens to a lot of breeders, but there’s nothing you can do but smile and hope the next litter turns a profit.
For the love of Dogs
The real reason so many breeders popped up during the COVID-19 pandemic was because they had a true passion and enjoyment to work and care for dogs. If you do have a genuine love for dogs, this may be the career for you as breeding dogs can provide a fulfilling outlet and happy career.
Breeding your animals can create a special bond between the breeder and dogs as you get to witness and nurture their growth from birth to adulthood. As great as that bond can be, it can also invite the possibility of emotional challenges. The process of breeding can involve difficult decisions, such as dealing with complications during pregnancy or the loss of puppies. These situations can be emotionally draining for breeders and it can drain their passion that they started their program for.
Bettering the Breed
If you aren’t working to preserve and improve your dog breed, you are contributing to overpopulation, health issues, and potential suffering in poorly-bred dogs. Breeding should only be done responsibly with the health and well-being of your dogs as the top priority. Responsible breeding can help preserve and improve specific dog breeds to ensure that their unique traits and characteristics endure through the generations.
As a breeder, your responsibility to the breed is to create healthy, happy puppies that will live long healthy lives and companionship for their owners. Part of this responsibility is making sure you continue your education and are knowledgeable about the breed(s) you are working with. You should do all you can to contribute to genetic advancements, breed health, and behavior/temperaments of future generations.
We’ve made many friendships in our 20+ years of breeding poodles and 10+ years of breeding poodle-mixes. When we aren’t sure of something, we reach out to our fellow breeders for help, and sometimes they reach out to us for help.
Time & Dedication
Breeding dogs requires significant time and effort for breeding, whelping, and raising puppies, which can be especially challenging if done full-time. When we started, it was just us and the kids, but we realized that we needed more hands to be able to provide a better commitment to proper and responsible care, such as providing appropriate nutrition, exercise, socialization, and veterinary care to all dogs involved. This can be demanding, especially when working with multiple litters.
We are lucky to have a few full-time employees who work with us daily to make sure our puppies are the best they can be before they leave our care, but if you’re considering starting your own breeding program, consider that you may want to hire out help like us in order to make sure your pups are getting all the proper care they need.
Part of your time and dedication to breed your dogs, should be finding and working the right family. Finding suitable homes for puppies, educating potential owners, and offering support throughout the lifetime of the dogs is expected. By providing healthy, well-bred pups, you can bring joy and companionship to families and individuals looking for a new pet.
With the right amount of time, dedication, love for dogs, and passion to improve the breed any breeding program can stand the test of time (or in our current case- economy.) Any job comes with its benefits or challenges, and this industry is no different. Producing puppies is not “a quick buck” career. It requires so much time, education, passion if done properly.
Puppies of the week
Cleo & Connor are the last pups available in Cagney & Frankie J’s litter. These sweet pups are right up your alley if you’re looking for a therapy dog, or just want a pet to be right there at your side. Both of these kiddos love to snuggle, and though they have lots of energy, they also know how to kick back and relax. They’d both do great in any home. Their brother Cooper is pictured here too and he does great with children!
